Should We First Retire Before Smelling The Roses?

Ever smell a cup of freshly brewed coffee with eyes closed in anticipation of the first delicious sip, instead of gulping the hot brew in a hurry due to a deadline?

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Two and a half years ago, when the CEO of the company I worked for announced that I was “retiring”, our multi-country staff sent me their hearty best wishes.

Time to smell the roses, they said. Now you can enjoy watching the Great British Bake-Off, one other executive messaged me.

But retirement was far from my mind when I resigned. I have not reached retirement age, anyway, as per policy in the country of our company HQ. And must I mention that I’m no follower of the bake-off TV series?

The idea of smelling the roses, however, was part of what I had in mind when I filed my resignation. Almost a decade of immersive work in the media intelligence business could wear out one’s dedication.

There were also the book projects I relegated to the back burner before I reinvented myself, and joined an exciting sunrise industry.

My aim in quitting was to pick up where I’ve left off my writing projects, that is, after a brief stint in “smelling the roses”.